Apparatus for distillation of wood.



No. 769,177. PATENTED SE'PT.6,1,904;

- J. A. MATHIEU.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION 0P WOOD.

APPLICATION FILED 00.112, 1903. H0 MODEL. 4 sums-sum 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

0% w" W w N0. 769,177. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. J. A. MATHIEU.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION OF WOOD.

APPLICATION FILED 0022.12, 1903. no MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: IN ENTOR: WK? Qua No. 769,177. PA TENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. J. A. MATHIEU.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION OF WOOD.

APPLIGATION FILED 001. 12, 1903. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETB-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: 1%VENTOR:

- N0 MODEL.

PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. J. A. MATHIEU.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION OF WOOD.

APPLIOATION FILED 00112, 1903.

4 BHEETS-SEEBT '4.

FIG: 4

UNITED STATES Patented September 6,1904.

PAT NT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION OF WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,177, dated. September 6, 1904.

Application filed. October 12, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN A. MATHIEU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Georgetown, in the county of Georgetown and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Distillation. of Wood or Like Substances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My improvements relate to certain improvements in apparatus used in the destructive distillation of wood. More particularly they relate to the construction and arrangement of the retorts used for thisfpurpose, to the novel means employed for charging and discharging the retorts, and the means employed for cooling the contents of the retort after discharge.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partial vertical section through a set of retorts embodying my invention and including the charging and discharging apparatus. Fig. 1 is a similar section through the cooling apparatus. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section along the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a verti cal section of the cooling apparatus on an enlarged scale. Fig. A is a horizontal section along the line A 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a horizontal section along the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the retort, taken along the line 6 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of the retort, taken along the line 7 7 Fig. 2.

I have illustrated my invention and will therefor describe it as applied to a series of retorts of a preferred construction; but it will be understood that my charging, discharging, and cooling devices may be used with other forms of retorts.

A A represent a series of cylindrical retorts supported upon a foundation a and surround-' ed by flues a a In the drawings only two retorts are illustrated; but it will be understood that the series may be multiplied indefinitely. The retorts are shown of a shape in which they may be conveniently made of clay and in which case the surrounding fiues maybe, as shown, directly in contact with the outer surfaces of the retorts. In case it is desired Serial No. 176,675. (No model.)

to use iron retorts, the flue will preferably be situated farther from the retort with an intervening layer of brickwork protectingthe outside of the retort. Each retort is fitted With'a removable but tightly-fitting lid B, covering the charging-opening. It is often desirable to strengthen the retorts by the use of webs 6?, formed at-intervals around the lower inner corners. Each retort is provided with an aperture 6, near the top thereof, which forms an exit for the gaseous products of distillation and which is connected way of a header 6, Fig. 2, (which maybe common to an entire line of retorts) with the usual condenser. Each retort is also provided at the bottom with a central aperture 6 through which the liquid or resinous products may escape. With these openings are connected suitable pipes 5 leading through the foundation to the receptacles provided for such products. Cleaning-openings 6 may be'provided in 'the elbow immediately beneath the openings 6 O is a furnace which may be of any suitable construction and from which the heated products of combustion are lead through the 'flues which have been mentioned.

D is a cylindrical container or basket made of open-work and capable of fitting within the retort. most clearly in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, from which it will be observed that its sides consist of vertical strips d and horizontal strips d, united at their crossing-points and spaced at suitable distances apart, which may vary ac-v cording to the size of the pieces of wood with which it is proposed to charge the retorts. e is the bottom of the basket and is preferably made of a single dished metal disk provided with a central aperture 6. The lower side of this aperture is flanged, as shown, so as to insure accurate registration of this aperture with the corresponding aperture 6 in the bottom of the retort. To the same end the webs cf, Fig. 7 at the. lower-corners of the retort maybe shaped-as shown, so as to guide the basket in its descent intothe retort and aiford a seat-upon which when'it reaches the bottom the edges of the basket "securely The details of this basket appear.

rest. The top of the basket is open. A strong metal strip or band f has vertical portions which are fastened to both sides of the basket on the outside and a horizontal portion which runs straight across the top of the basket centrally, which latter portion is provided in the middle with an undercut boss or knob F. The cross part of this strip may be braced by the stays g. Upon the sides of the strip 1 a little below the middle are attached a pair of trunnions h it.

As a result of the shape of the solid bottom of the basket and the position of its aperture the resinous products of distillation do not come into contact with the bottom of the retort, but are led immediately to the dischargeaperture 72 This is advantageous, as such products are apt to become charred or burned by contact with the bottom of the retort.

J is a cooling-cover of general cylindrical shape and of about the size of the retort. It is preferably formed of sheet metal. It is open at the bottom, but closed at the top, with the exception of a central aperture f, Fig. 3, to the upper side of which is fitted a lid 7". It is provided at a point near its bottom with an aperture 70, to which is attached a relief or safety valve K.

For the convenient transportation of the basket and its contents I provide an overhead trolley L, although any convenient form of derrick or hoisting apparatus can be employed. The hoisting-rope of this trolley L is attached to a rod Z, at the lower end of which is a clutch Z, which is capable of passing down through aperture 1' of the cover and of fitting over and automatically grasping the knob F on top of the basket.

The operation of the parts thus described is as follows: The basket or container is filled with the wood which is to be subjected to distillation and by means of the hoisting appa' ratus described is lowered into one of the retorts and the lid replaced thereon. At the conclusion of the distillation process the lid is removed and the cooling-cover J is placed directly over the top of the retort, its bottom resting upon the upper edge of the retort. The clutch-rod Z is then lowered through the central aperture j in the top of the coolingcover and by its weight engages with the knob F of the top of the basket, in which there remains nothing but red-hot charcoal. As the basket is lifted it enters the cover and lifts it With it, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the cover preventing unnecessary combustion and consumption of the charcoal as it is conveyed to the cooler.

At a suitable place in proximity to the retorts there is provided a shallow receptacle M, capable of containing a few inches of water and provided with an overflow m. The basket, with its contents still surrounded by the cover, is placed with its bottom resting in this receptacle, bricks or other supports H being provided therein on which the edges of the basket may rest. The clutchrod is then removed and the lid placed on the top of the cooler. A swinging pipel is then turned so that it discharges water centrally over the top of the cooler, the water flowing down around the outside of the cooler into the receptacle M and thence out through the overflow m. The relief-valve K is for the purpose of preventing the cooling process, which is apt to create suction within the cooler, from causing the water to unduly rise therein, which it prevents by the admission of air in case of diminished pressure on the interior of the cooler. After the cooling process has been finished the water is turned off and the pipe P swung away. The cover J is then removed, and the basket, with its contents of cooled charcoal, may be dumped upon a convenient platform and thereafter be transferred to a car for transportation. For this purpose the trunnions 71. 71, maybe rested upon suitable yokes provided at the points where the dumping is to occur and upon which the basket may be turned bottom upward for the ejection of its contents. If desired, this dump ing maybe directly into a blast-lurmu-e or any other place where the charcoal is to be immediately utilized.

It is convenient to employ a number of baskets such as have been described and also a number of cooling-covers in connection with a series of retorts. .In this way the loading of the baskets with wood for charging the retorts and the cooling and discharging processes may be allowed to go on coiuvinuously and simultaneously, while at the same time the entire series of retorts are in uninterrupted use.

It will be understood that although 1 have illustrated and described my apparatus in a. convenient and practical form in 'which to apply it 1 do not limit my claims to the details of construction which I have described, as these details will be altered to suit varying conditions arising from surr mndings and from the differing nature of the materials to be treated. Thus, in addition to wood, my apparatus may be used to distil bone, peat, garbage, lignite, &c. The shape of the basket or container may vary. It may be oval, square, rectangular, or otherwise shaped. The open-work character of the sides may be variously secured as, for instance, by using perforated sheet metal. is of light 1l121t01i:1l**S11Cl], for example, as shavings wire-netting maybe used. It will also be understood that although I have shown and described the basket as litted with a bottom which is solid except for its central aperture this feature is not always essential. It

is to be preferred, especially when resinous wood is being used; but where oak or other In case the ehar 'e r non-resinous woods are used a perforated bottom maybe employed to allow the. more direct transmission of the heat. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a distillation apparatus, the combina tion of a retort with a charging-opening at the top, and a smaller discharge-opening at the bottom; and a transportable chargingbasket capable of entering the retort, the bottom of which is dished and provided with a discharge-aperture which registers with the discharge-aperture of the retort, substantially as described. i

2. In a distillation apparatus the combination of a retort with a charging-openingat the top, and a smaller central discharge-opening at the bottom; and a transportable openwork charging-basket capable of entering the retort, the bottom of which is formed of a dished piece of metal with a central flanged aperture which registers with and engages the central discharge-opening at the bottomof the retort, substantially as described.

3. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of a retort, with a full-sized lidded opening at the top, and asmall discharge-aperture at the bottom; and an open-work basket fitting within said retort,.and provided with a solid bottom with an aperture therein which, when the basket is inserted into the retort, registers with the aperture in the bottom of the retort, substantially as described.

4. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of a series of similar cylindrical retorts having charging-openings at the top, and discharge-openings at the bottom; a cylindrical basket with open-work sides, but a solid bottom, capable of fitting all of said retorts; an aperture in the solid bottom of the basket which registers with the discharge-opening of the retort; and means whereby said basket may be transported to and lowered within any one of said retorts, substantially as described.

'5. In a distillation apparatus, a retort with a full-sized lidded aperture at the top; another aperture forthe discharge of volatile prod ucts; a third aperture at the bottom for the discharge of liquid products; and a removable basket fitting therein, open at the top, having sides formed entirely of open-work, and with a solid bottom provided with an aperture registering with the corresponding aperture at the bottom of the retort, substantially as described.

6. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of the retort, with an opening at the top thereof; an open-work basket capable of being passed in and out of the retort through said opening; and a cover open at the bottom which, when adjusted over the top of the re-' tort, receives and surrounds the basket and its contents as they are removed from the retort, substantially as described.

7. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of the retort; a basket; anda cover capable of containing the basket, and having an aperture at the top through which maypass the attachment for transporting the basket, substantially as described. l

8. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of the retort and transportation-basket; a cover forthe transportation-basket; an aperture by means of which the means of transportation may be attached to the basket while the cover surrounds it; a small lid for this latter aperture; and means whereby when the top of the cover is closed by its lid, water may be allowed to flow over the cover while it surrounds the basket, substantially as described.

9. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of the retort; an open-work basket fitting therein; a knob at the top thereof; a trans' portation-cov'er capable of surrounding the. basket; an aperture in the top of the cover; and a clutch apparatus which when lowered 7 through the top of the cover attaches itself to the knob on the top of the basket, substantially as described.

10. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of the transportation-basket; the -sur" rounding cover for the same open at'the bottom; a shallow receptacle on which both basket and cover may rest; and means for directing a stream of water over the top of-the cover while it rests with the basket within it in this position, substantially as described.

11. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of the transportation-basket; the sur' rounding cover for the same, open at the bottom;,a shallow receptacle on which both- -basket and cover may rest; means for directing a stream of water over the top ofthe cover while in this position; and a relief-valve communicating with the interior of the cover, substantially as described.

12. In a distillation apparatus, the combination of a cylindrical retort; a cylindrical basket or container capable of fitting loosely into saidretort; anda series of interior webs near the bottom of the retort set transversely to its lower corners, the edges of which form a guide and a seat, whereby the basket is guided to its proper central seat within the retort and there supported, substantially as described.

this specification, this 2d day of October; A. D.

1903, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

r JEAN A. MATHIEU. Witnesses:

'J. I. HAZARD,

G. O. TUCKER. 

